Etching-machine.



B. ALBERT.

ETGHING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED Nov. 29, 19o?.

Patented July 27, 1909.

illllilrlrllf unnnan nuuuunuv EUGEN `ALBERT, 0F MUNI'CH, GERMANY.

E'rcmNG-MAOHINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1909.

Application ledNovember 29, 1907. Serial No. 404,380.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, EUGEN ALBERT, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,residing at Schwabingerlandstrasse 55, in Munich, Germany, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Etching-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

`Myinvention relates to improvements in,

apparatus for etching plates.

v The primary object of my improvement is to provide an eii'ective andexpeditious etching machine.

Another object is to construct a machine which causes a maximum numberof the atoms of the etching liquid to come into contact with the surfaceof the plate in a short time; and a further object is to enable theplate to ble readily inspected during the progress of the work.

rlhese and other objects I attain by the novelconstruction andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhichz- Figure' 1, is a side elevation showing the complete machine.sectional View of the operative lparts'of the machine. Fig. 3, is a planview of the top of the apparatus. Fig. et, is an end elevation of astirring device with recessed ribs.v Fig. 5, shows the ends of the ribsin plan, and Fig. 6. shows in plan View .another form of stirringdevice.

A is a stand upon which the etchin bath 1s mounted; 1t may convenientlyinc ose a motor such as B ior the driving of the machine, and it isprovided with set screws C Cv by which the level of the liquid in thebath` maybe adjusted to the horizontal. i

Upon the top of the stand A two channel irons D are fixed and the bath Eis mounted to reciprocate thereon on the rollers e, c. The shaft fcarrying the pulley Wheel F is also supported in bearings on the channelirons l), and midway between the channel irons operates by the worm Gthe Worm wheel H which slowly reciprocates the' connecting rod Icarrying the pin z' which connects to the lug /L on the bath E, the bathE is thus caused to move slowly backward and forward. Upon the top ofthe bath a cover J is hinged at j; it is open in its middle portion andits sides are furnished With an iron' track L upon which run the rollersZ carried Fig. 2, is a longitudinal at the ends of the cross bars Mwhich are attached to ribs m on lthe back of the stirring device N; thestirrer N is provided with projecting ribs n, which vdip into theetching liquid O. The end roller pivot Z s extended outward on each sideof the bath and is reciprocated through the medium of connecting rods P;motion is givenV to the connecting rods? by cranks p, on the shaft gwhich is rotated in turn by a chain R connecting sprocket wheelsS and T.0n the said shaft g and the driving shaft f respectively, The plate Xto be etched is laid upon a wooden bed 'U which is provided with sidepieces V, recesses W' being made in the sides of the hath for theiraccommodation and in order that the bed U shall he kept at the bottom ofthe bath when the stirrer is working projections on the cover press downthe side pieces V. By quickly reciprocating the stirrer N and slowlyreciprocating the bath itself a vsuccession of small movements isimparted to` the etching liquid O over the surface 0f the plate 'X andthe etching rapidly accomplished; a foam producing substance such asRadin: Q-uilay'a Saponawia may be added to the liquid to effect bettercleaning of the recesses in the plate and solid particles may heint-roduced into the liquid to eiect removal of the oxid b v mechanicalrubbing against the surfaces. ln order that the progress of the Work mayhe examined, as soon as the cover J is raised the wooden hed U isreleased and lioatsto the top of the liquid carrying the plate X withit. Hooks K are provided which catching into the recesses hold the coveropen during examination or for other voperations to the bath.

An ice tank and a jacket may be formed in connection with the bath forthe purpose It will be understood that the machine may be driven eitherby hand, or by power I claim as my invention 1. In an etchin machine, abath containing etching liqui a stirring device having rigid projectionsthereon mounted so that the 'ends of the projections can reciprocateclear l rapid reciprocating movement to the stirring device, a oatin bedas a support for the plate to be etc ed, side pieces connected theretolocated in recesses in the sides of the bath, a cover to the bath, andprojections on the cover of the bath coperatin With the side pieces tosink the floating be when the cover is closed, substantially asdescribed.

' 3. In an etching machine, a bath containing etching liquid a stirringdevice having ribs or prongs thereon mounted so that the ends of theribs or prongs can reciprocate in close proximity to the surface ofl theplate to be etched,.means for imparting a small but rapid reciprocatinmovement to the stirring device, means for imparting a slowreciprocating movement to thebath, a floating bed as a supportfor theplate to be etched, side pieces connected thereto located in recesses inthe 'sides of the bath, a cover to the bath, and projections on thecover of the bath coperating lwith the side pieces to sink the floatinbed when the 'cover is closed, substantia ly as described.

4. In an etching machine, a bath containing etching liquid a coverhinged thereto having its central portion cut away, a mov'- ablestirring devicev substantially closing the open central part of thecover, tracks on the sides of the cover, rollers running thereon, meanspassing through the central opening of the cover lfor connecting' themovable stirring device with the rollers, and means for imparting alsmall butrapid reciprocating movementto the stirring device.

5. In an etchin machine a bath containing etching liqui a cover hingedthereto having its central portion cut away, a movable stirrin devicesubstantially closing the open centra part of the cover, tracks on thesides of the cover, rollers running thereon means passing through thecentral opening` of the cover for connecting the movable stirring devicewith the rollers, means for irnparting a small but rapid reciprocatingmovement to the stirring device, and means for imparting a slowreciprocating movement to the bat-h.

'a stirring device havin y ribs or 6. In an etching machine, a bathcontaining etching liquid, a stirring device having rigid ribs or prongsthereon mounted so that the ends of the r1bs or prongs can reciprocateclear of but in close proximity to the surface of the plate to beetched, a shaft mounted beyond one end of the bath, cranks at each endof said shaft, connecting rods connecting the cranks with the stirringdevice, a driving shaft sprocket wheels' on the crank shaft and on thedriving shaft, a chain connecting the sprocket wheels, and means foroperating the driving shaft, substantially as described. 7. In an etchinmachine, abath containing etching liquic a rigid ribs or prongs thereonmounted so that the ends of the ribs or prongs can reciprocate clear ofbut in close .proximity to the surface vof the plate to be etched, ashaft mounted beyond one end of the bath cranks at each end of saidshaft, connecting rods connecting the cranks with the stirring device, adriving shaft sprocket wheels on the crank 'shaft and on the drivingshaft,a chain `connecting the sprocket wheels means for stirring devicehaving operating ythe driving shaft, a Worm on the driving shaft, a wormWheel meshing with same mounted on the framework of the machine a crankpin on same, an'd a connecting rod connecting the crank in with a pin onthe etching bath, substantially as described.'

8. In an etching machine, a bath containing etching liquid, a coverhinged thereto, a

stirring device having ribs or prongs thereon mounted so that the endsof the ribs or prongs can .reciprocate in close proximity to Athesurface of the plateto be etched, atioating bed as a support for theplate to be etched, side pieces connected thereto located in recesses inthe sides of the bath, projections on the cover of the tbath coperatinwith the side pieces tosink the oating bed when the cover is closed, ashaft mounted beyond one end of the bath, cranks at each end of saidshaft connecting rods connecting the cranks with the stirring device, adriving shaft and sprocket wheels on the crank shaft and on the drivingshaft.

9. Inan etchin machine, a bath contain-l ing etching liqui a coverhinged thereto, ron s thereon mounted so that t e ends of e ri s iis orprongs canfreciprocate in close proximity to the surface of the plate tobe etched, la floating bed as a support for the plate to be etched, sidepiecesconnected thereto located in recesses in the 'sides of the bath,projections on the cover .of the bath coperatin with the side pieces tosink the oating be when -the cover is closed, a shaft, mounted beyondone end ofthe bath, cranks Yat each end of said shaft connecting rodsconnecting the cranks with the stirrin device, a drivmg shaft sprocketwheels on t e `crank shaft and on the driving shaft, a worm on thedriving shaft, `a Worm wheel meshing with same mounted on the frameworkof the machine 'a crank pin on same, and a connecting rod connecting thecrank pin with a pin on the etching bath, substantially as described.

l0. In an etching machine, a bath containing etching liquid, a coverhingedthereto having its central portion cut away, a movable stirringdevice substantially closing the open central part of the cover andhaving ribs or prongs thereon the extremities of which are in closeproximity to thesurfaoe of the plate to be etched, tracks on the sidesof the cover, rollers running thereon, crossbars attached to ribs on theback of the stirring device and carrying the said rollers, a shaftmounted beyond one end of the bath, cranks at each end of said shaft,connecting rods connecting the cranks with pins projecting from across-bar on the stirring device, a driving shaft sprocket wheels on thecrank shaft and on nthe driving shaft, a chain connecting the AsprocketWheels, and means for operating the driving shaft, substantially asdescribed.

11. In an etching machine, a bath containing etching liquid, a coverhinged thereto having its central portion cut away, a movable stirringdevice substantially closing the open central part of the cover andhaving ribs or prongs thereon the extremities of which are in closeproximity to the surface of the plate to be etched, tracks on the sidesof the cover, rollers running thereon, crossbars attached to ribs on the-back of the stirring device and carrying the said rollers, a shaftlmounted beyond one end'of the bath, cranks at each end of said shaft,connecting rods connecting the cranks with pins pro-v jecting from across-bar on the stirring device, a driving shaft sprocket wheels on thecrank shaft and on the driving shaft, a chain connecting the vsprocketwheels means for operating the driving'shaft, a wornr on the drivingshaft, a worm' wheel meshing with same mounted on the framework of themachine, a crank pin on same, and a connecting rod connectin the crankpin with a pin on the etching Y ath, substantially as described.

12. In an etching apparatus or the like, the `combination of areceptacle for the etching bath, means therein to hold a plate to beetched, an agitator having ribs adapted to reciprocate in the bath overthe plate, and meansl to change constantly the zone of reciprocation ofthe agitator. h

13. InV an etching apparatus or the like, the combination of means tohold or contain a plate to be etched an agitator forthe etching bath,means to driveihe a itator, and means to effect an additional re ativemovement between theplate holding or containing means and the agitatoras the latter is being driven. l 14. In an etching apparatus or thelike,

the combination of means to hold or contain a plate to be etched, anagitator for theetching bath, means to reciprocate the agitator, andmeans to effect an additional yrelative movement between the plateholdin lor containing means and the agitator as t e latter is beingreciprocated.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' EUGEN ALBERT.

Witnesses LoUIs F. MUELLER, MATHILDE K. HELD.

